Reading/Language Arts
A syllable must contain? a. A vowel b. A consonant c. Both a vowel and a consonant d. A meaning
A. A vowel. A syllable is a minimal sound unit arranged around a vowel. For example, academic has four syllables: a/ca/dem/ic. It is possible for a syllable to be a single vowel, as in the above example. It is not possible for a syllable to be a single consonant.
Public speakers want to give speeches that make their audience pay attention, but they also want to give speeches whose messages are meaningful enough to remain in audience member's minds. This can best be accomplished with what? a. Simple language and stories b. Strict logical progression c. Sophisticated language and ideas d. Intense emotion and drama e. Eye contact
a. Audience members are most likely to retain the points of a speech or lecture if they are offered in the form of a story and the speaker uses language that is simple and direct enough to be transparent. The stories need to be simple, and must drive the speech directly toward an essential and clear point. Including anecdotes is most effective when the speaker uses storytelling techniques that will bring them alive, such as varying pace, pitch, and intensity, using body language to suggest a change in speakers, and using the stage to suggest a setting.
Syllable types include? a. Closed, open, silent e, vowel team, vowel-r, and consonant-le b. Closed, open, silent, double-vowel, r, and le c. Closed, midway, open, emphasized, prefixed, and suffixed d. Stressed, unstressed, and silent
a. Closed, open, silent e, vowel team, vowel-r, and consonant-le. A closed syllable ends with a consonant, such as cat. Open syllables end with a vowel, such as he. Vowel team syllables contain two vowels working together, such as main. Vowel-r syllables such as ew and or frequently occur as suffixed. Consonant-le syllables also typically occur as suffixes, such as battle or terrible.
Sight words are? a. Common words with irregular spelling b. Words that can easily be found on educational websites c. Any word that can be seen, including text words, words on signs, brochures, banners, and so froth d. There is no such thing; because oral language is learned before written language, all words are ultimately based on sound. The correct term is sound words and includes all words necessary to decode a particular text
a. Common words with irregular spelling. Sight words occur in many types of writing; they are high-frequency words. Sight words are also words with irregular spelling. Some examples of sight words include talk, some, and the. Fluent readers need to recognize these words visually.
Sea and see, fair and fare, are called? a. Homophones b. Antonyms c. Homographs d. Twin words
a. Homophones. Homophones are a type of homonym that sound alike, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Other examples are two, to, and too.
Tea/tee, stair/stare, and shoe/shoo are? a. Homophones b. Synonyms c. Homographs d. Homonyms
a. Homophones. Homophones sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Synonyms share meaning, homographs share the same spelling, and homonyms are like homophones, that share the same sounds, but they also are spelled the same. An example of homonym is "lie," which can refer to lying down or to untruth.
All members of a group of kindergarten students early in the year are able to chant the alphabet. The teacher is now teaching the students what the alphabet looks like in written form. The teacher points to a letter and the students vocalize the correspondent sound. Alternatively, the teacher vocalizes a phoneme and a student points to it on the alphabet chart. The teacher is using ________________ in her instruction. a. Letter-sound correspondence b. Rote memorization c. Predictive analysis d. Segmentation
a. Letter-sound correspondence. Letter-sound correspondence relies on the relationship between a spoken sound or group of sounds and the letters conventionally used in English to write them.
Reading and writing are usually seen as the two major aspects of literacy that are taught in the classroom. What critical aspect of literacy begins at home but is often neglected in the classroom? a. Oral language development b. Health information c. Math skills d. Science awareness
a. Oral language development is correct because oral language begins during infancy and develops until a child has an extensive vocabulary.
Phonemic awareness is a type of? a. Phonological awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize sounds within words b. Phonics. It is a teaching technique whereby readers learn the relationship between letters and sounds c. Alphabetization. Unless a reader knows the alphabet, phonemic awareness is useless d. Syntactical awareness. Understanding the underlying structure of a sentence is key to understanding meaning
a. Phonological awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize sounds within words. Segmenting words and blending sounds are component of phonemic awareness. Phonological awareness includes an understanding of multiple component of spoken language. Ability to hear individual words within a vocalized stream and ability to identify spoken syllables are types of phonological awareness.
Where does a prefix appear in a word? a. At the beginning b. At the end c. In the middle d. Any place
a. Prexies appear at the beginning of words, while suffixes appear at the end of words.
The English word "salary" has a 2,000-year-old etymology to a word meaning? a. Salt b. Celery c. Money d. Earnings
a. The Latin word sal meant "salt," According to the famous ancient historian Pliny the Elder, "in Rome, a soldier was paid in salt," as it was a means of preserving food in the days before refrigeration and was thus a very valuable commodity. The Latin term salarium, from the root sal, originally meant the salt paid to soldiers but eventually became generalized to mean any kind of payment.
A number of verb forms are used in headlines. These include simple tenses, infinitive forms, and auxiliary verbs dropped in the passive voice. Which headline below uses a simple tense? a. Lost dog returns b. Governor to visit city c. Graduate named valedictorian d. Hero given award
a. This headline uses the simple tense. In this case, it's the simple present tense. B uses the infinitive form, while C and D both drop the auxiliary verb in the passive voice.
Making a strong argument in a speech, conversation or debate requires? a. Forceful delivery b. Acknowledging the opposing point of view with respect c. Demonstrating the weakness of the opposing view with mockery d. Seizing the floor when the opponent's point is strong e. Seizing the floor when the opponent's point is weak
b. A strong argument is not made by forcing people to pay attention, interrupting another speaker, or belittling an idea, person, or group.
TRain, BRain, SPring. The capital letters are examples of? a. Consonant digraph b. Consonant blend c. Consonant shift d. Continental shift
b. Consonant blend. Consonant blend refers to a group of consonants in which each letter represents a separate sound.
Homonyms such as bare and bear are similar in sound yet have different meanings. What would a teacher suggest a student do to avoid misusing these words? a. Memorize the definitions of the difficult words b. Check a dictionary or thesaurus to verify a word's usage c. Avoid encountering difficult words d. Ignore being precise in the definition
b. Is correct. In cases of words that sound alike but have different meanings, checking a dictionary or thesaurus will ensure correct usage of a word.
Which of the following best explains the importance prior knowledge brings to the act of reading? a. Prior knowledge is information that student gets through researching a topic prior to reading the text. A student who is well-prepared through such research is better able to decode a text and retain its meaning b. Prior knowledge is knowledge the student brings from from previous life or learning experiences to the act of reading. It is not possible for a student to fully comprehend new knowledge without first integrating it with prior knowledge c. Prior knowledge is predictive. It motivates the student to look for contextual clues in the reading and predict what is likely to happen next d. Prior knowledge is not important to any degree to the act of reading, because every text is self-contained and therefore seamless. Prior knowledge is irrelevant in this application
b. Prior knowledge is knowledge the student brings from from previous life or learning experiences to the act of reading. It is not possible for a student to fully comprehend new knowledge without first integrating it with prior knowledge. Prior knowledge, which rises from experience and previous learning, provides a framework by which new knowledge gained from the act of reading can be integrated. Every act of reading enriches a student's well of prior knowledge and increases that student's future ability to comprehend more fully any new knowledge acquired through reading.
Which type of nonverbal message deals with belonging, control, respect, or disapproval? a. Emotive messages b. Relational messages c. Relationship messages d. Interpersonal messages
b. Relational messages, as opposed to content messages, are concerned with the relationship between a speaker and a recipient rather than with the overt subject of the communication. They may convey belonging, respect, or disapproval, among other things. They are frequently largely or entirely nonverbal; because of this, they may be supported with verbal feedback to confirm them.
Where does a suffix appear in a word?
b. Suffixes appear at the end of words, while prefixes appear at the beginning of words
"Language load" refers to? a. The basic vocabulary words a first grader has committed to memory b. The number of unrecognizable words an English Language Learner encounters when reading a passage or listening to a teacher c. The damage that carrying a pile of heavy books could cause to a child's physique d. The number of different languages a person has mastered
b. The number of unrecognizable words and English Language Learner encounters when reading a passage or listening to a teacher. Language load is one of the barriers English Language Learners face. To lighten this load, a teacher can rephrase, eliminate unnecessary words, divide complex sentences into smaller units, and teach essential vocabulary before the students begins the lesson.
Which of the following is an example of a portmanteau? a. Fax b. Brunch c. Babysitter d. Saxophone
b. The word "brunch" is a blend of "breakfast" and "lunch". Blends of two or more words are known as portmanteau words. (Portmanteau is a French word meaning a suitcase)
The purpose of corrective feedback is? a. To provide students with methods for explaining to the teacher or classmates what a passage was about b. To correct an error in reading a student has made, specifically clarifying where or how the error was made so that the student can avoid similar errors in the future c. To provide a mental framework that will help the student correctly organize new information d. To remind students that error is essential in order to truly understand and that it is not something to be ashamed of
b. To correct an error in reading a student has made, specifically clarifying where and how the error was made so that the student can avoid similar errors in the future. A reading teacher offers corrective feedback to a student in order to explain why a particular error in reading is, in fast, an error. Corrective feed back is specific; it locates where and how the student went astray so that similar errors can be avoided in future reading.
A close test evaluates a student's? a. Reading fluency b. Understanding of context and vocabulary c. Phonemic skills d. Ability to apply the alphabetic principle to previously unknown material
b. Understanding of context and vocabulary. In a close test, a reader is given a text with certain words blocked out. The reader must be able to determine probable missing words based on contextual clues. In order to supply these words, the reader must already know them.
A student is able to apply strategies to comprehend the meanings of unfamiliar words; can supply definitions for words with several meanings such as "crucial, criticism, and witness"; and is able to reflect on her background knowledge in order to decipher a word's meaning. These features of effective reading belong to which category? a. Word recognition b. Vocabulary c. Content d. Comprehension
b. Vocabulary. Strategizing in order to understand the meaning of a word, knowing multiple meanings of a single word, and applying background knowledge to glean a word's meaning are all ways in which an effective reader enhances vocabulary. Other skills include an awareness of word parts and word origins, the ability to apply word meanings in a variety of content areas, and a delight in learning the meanings of unfamiliar words.
If a student were asked to use a similar word to describe someone who was happy, he or she would use a. an antonym b. a homonym c. a synonym d. an euphemism
c. A synonym is a word that has a similar meaning. An antonym is a word that means the opposite. A homonym is a word that sounds the same but has different spelling and meaning. A euphemism is an inoffensive word used in place of an offensive word.
Another name for a persuasive essay is? a. Dynamic essay b. Convincing essay c. Argumentative essay d. Position paper
c. Argumentative essay. The goal of a persuasive essay is to convince the reader that the author's position or opinion on a controversial topic is correct. That opinion or position is called the argument. A persuasive essay argues a series of points, supported by facts or evidence.
A knowledge of word elements can enable a student to understand the meanings of unfamiliar words. What does the prefix circum - mean in the word circumference? a. Beyond b. After c. Around d. Before
c. Circum is Latin for "around". Post is the prefix for "after". Pre is the prefix for "before". There are several prefixes for "beyond", such as trans, hyper, extra.
Dr. Jenks is working with a group of high school students. They are about to read a science book about fossils. Before they begin, she writes the words stromatolites, fossiliferous, and eocene on the board. She explains the meaning of each word. These words are examples of? a. Academic words b. Alliteration c. Content-specific words d. Ionization
c. Content-specific words. Because these words are specific to paleontology, it's unlikely the students know their meanings. Without understanding what these words mean, the students would not be able to understand the content of this passage they were about to read.
Which of the following statements regarding eye contact is false? a. It suggests confidence and presence of mind b. It lends a humanizing sensibility to a speech c. Audience members are drawn into the presentation if the speaker makes repeated eye contact that lasts long enough to suggest emotional intimacy d. It sparks audience interest because the occasion of the speech seems, on some level, to be a conversation in which they are engaged e. It gives listeners the same sense that the speaker is authoritative, knowledgeable, and in control
c. Effective eye contact suggests confidence, piques audience interest, makes the speaker's message seem familiar, and suggests the speaker is an expert on her subject.
A patient dies in surgery and the reporting doctor describes the death as a "negative patient outcome." This is best identifies as an example of? a. Jargon b. Ambiguity c. Euphemism d. Connotation
c. Euphemism is an expression used instead of more literal words to make a harsh expression sound softer, to make an impolite description sound more polite, or to make a description less polite (such as saying "bit the dust" instead of "died" in a formal setting)
Metaphor, a rhetorical device, is used in oratory to? a. Compare two distinct things using "like" or "as" b. Surprise listeners c. Introduce a new idea via a familiar one d. Make the speech poetic and beautiful e. Cause listeners to think philosophically
c. Every school child is taught that metaphor is the direct comparison of two different things. An example of a metaphor is: "The clouds are pillows of cotton." Looking more deeply into the heart of how metaphor operates, however, it is clear that it is an effective rhetorical device. Metaphor simultaneously allows for great linguistic economy while inviting listeners to embrace new ideas by linking the, to ideas with which they are already comfortable and familiar.
A third-grade teacher has several students reading above grade level. Most of the remaining students are reading at grade level. There are also a few students reading below grade level. She decides to experiment. Her hypothesis is that by giving the entire class a chapter book above grade level, high-level readers will be satisfied, grade-level readers will improve. Her method is most likely to? a. Succeed, producing students reading at an Instructional reading level. High-level readers will be happy to be given material appropriate to their reading level. Grade-level reader will challenge themselves to improve reading strategies in order to master the text. Because only a few students are reading below grade level, the other students, who feel happy and energized, will inspire the slower readers by modeling success b. Succeed, producing students reading at an Independent reading level. High-level readers will independently help grade-level readers who will, in turn, independently help those below grade level c. Fail, producing students at a Frustration reading level. Those reading below grade level are likely to give up entirely. Those reading at grade level are likely to get frustrated and form habits that will actually slow down their development d. Fail, producing students reading at a Chaotic reading level. By nature, children are highly competitive. The teacher has not taken into consideration multiple learning styles. The children who are at grade level will either become bitter and angry at those whose reading level is above grade level or simply give up. The children reading below grade level will not be able to keep up and will in all likelihood act out their frustration or completely shut down.
c. Fail, producing students at a frustration reading level. Those reading below grade level are likely to give up entirely. Those reading at grade level are likely to get frustrated and form habits that will actually slow down their development. Giving students texts that are too far beyond their reach produces frustrated readers. In an effort to succeed, frustrated writes are likely to apply strategies that have worked for them in the past but cannot work in this case because the text is simply beyond them. Looking for contextual clues to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words requires that most of the words in the passage are familiar. Breaking unfamiliar words into individual phonemes or syllables can be effective, but not if the number of such words is excessive. In this case, students below reading level and students at reading level will become frustrated when the skills that have worked for them in the past now fail.
Consider the following sentence: Mary is a very gregarious person and has many friends. Based on the context of this sentence, the word gregarious means? a. Shy b. Angry c. Friendly d. Mean
c. Gregarious means easy to get along with, or friendly. If one didn't know the meaning of the word, the fact that Mary has many friends would be a clue to decipher the meaning
The English language word "quark" is an example of the result of which linguistic process? a. Blending b. Conversion c. Neologisms d. Onomatopoeia
c. Neologisms (from neo-meaning "new"), also known as "creative coinages," are new words sometimes invented by people which then become parts of your vocabulary. The word "quark" was first coined by the great Irish author James Joyce; he used it in his last novel, Finnegans Wake. The physicist Murray Gell-Mann then chose this word from Joyce's work to name the model of elementary particles he proposed (also proposed concurrently and independently by physicist George Zweig)
At the beginning of each month, Mr. Yi has Jade read a page or two from a book she hasn't seen before. He notes the total number of words in the section, and also notes the number of times she leaves out or misreads a word. If Jade reads the passage with less than 3% error, Mr. Yi is satisfied that Jade is? a. Reading with full comprehension b. Probably bored and should try a more difficult book c. Reading at her Independent reading level d. Comfortable with the syntactical meaning
c. Reading at her Independent reading level. When reading independently, students are at the correct level if they read with at least 97% accuracy.
Ross and Janine were discussing a magazine article about codes, ciphers, and steganography, which their teacher gave as a reading assignment. The article described steganography as the practice of embedding secret messages in other messages, pictures, or music, etc. Janine asked Ross to explain the word embedded to her. Here is the conversation they had: Ross: Steganography is cool! Janine (rolling her eyes): I've heard the word embedded used to describe reporters being put with the troops overseas, but what does it mean here? Ross: It means the message is inserted into a bigger message Janine: But how does that make the message hard to see? You can see the embedded reporters with the troops on TV. Ross: The writing or picture is too small to see, so it can be hidden. These messages aren't big like a person That's why someone who needs to read the information has to use special tools to be able to see the secret message. Janine: Oh, I understand. What did Ross say that helped Janine finally understand what embedded meant with regard to steganography? a. Embedded means removed into something b. Embedded means inserted and plainly visible in something c. Embedded means inserted and hidden in something d. Embedded means inserted in a foreign language in something
c. Ross told Janine that the secret message is inserted into a bigger message, but isn't seen by anyone who isn't looking for it because it's so small. It's effectively hidden.
Of the following sentences, which one appeals to emotion? a. It is dangerous to use a cell phone while driving because you steer one-handed b. Statistics of accident risk show that cell-phone use whole driving is dangerous c. It is really stupid to use a cell phone when you drive because it is so dangerous d. Many state laws ban call-phone use when driving due to data on more accidents
c. This sentence appeals to the reader's emotions by stating simply that it is dangerous and "really stupid" to use a cell phone while driving; it does not provide any evidence or logic to support the statement.
Of the three tiers of words, the most important words for direct instruction are? a. Tier-one words b. Common words c. Tier-two words d. Words with Latin roots
c. Tier-two words. Tier-two words are words that are used with high frequency across a variety of disciplines or words with multiple meanings. They are characteristic of mature language users. Knowing these words is crucial to attaining an acceptable level of reading comprehension and communication skills.
A teacher is trying to assist a student with his scientific vocabulary. The student is also an English Language Learner. What could the teacher suggest to help him improve his scientific vocabulary MOST effectively? a. Use a glossary of scientific terms for each chapter of the textbook, and discuss these terms with the student as the relevant chapters are referenced b. Assign a specific number of scientific terms for the student to look up in a scientific dictionary and share with the class c. Explain the scientific terms to this student as concepts are presented and related experiments performed d. Ask the student to look for context to define difficult scientific words, and have the student record the definitions in a notebook
c. is the MOST effective strategy because it relates concepts to experiments. The student will not only hear and read the definitions of scientific terms, he will also see them in action, and take part in them. This is likely to be far more effective than the other methods.
The following is/are (an) element(s) of metacognition: a. A reader's awareness of herself as a learner b. A reader's understanding of a variety of reading strategies and how to apply them to comprehend a text c. A reader who is conscious about remembering what has been read d. All of the above
d. All of the above. Metacognition means a reader's awareness of her own reading processes as she improves reading comprehension. Other elements of metacognition include awareness of areas in the text where the reader fails to comprehend and an understanding of the text is structured.
PHone, THey, CHurch. The capitalized letters in there words are an example of? a. Consonant blend b. Consonant shift c. Continental shift d. Consonant digraph
d. Consonant digraph. A consonant digraph is group of consonants in which all letter represent a single sound.
A teacher asked his students to prepare a presentation that could be shown in a foreign country. He advised them to? a. Use idioms b. Avoid anecdotes local to the foreign country c. Avoid quotes from a foreign national of the country d. Keep the presentation simple and succinct
d. For the vast majority of people attending a presentation in a foreign country, English will not be their native language, and many of them will struggle to keep up with a presentation in English, so it should not be complex or very long. It would be wise to include, not avoid, anecdotes from the country, and quotes from nationals. American idioms should be avoided, as idioms by their nature do not translate well.
The most effective strategy for decoding sight words is? a. Segmenting sight words into syllables. Beginning readers are understandably nervous when encountering a long word that isn't familiar. Blocking off all but a single syllable at a time renders a word manageable and allows the reader a sense of control over the act of reading b. Word families. By grouping the sight words with similar words, patters emerge c. A phonemic approach. When students understand the connection between individual words and their sounds, they will be able to sound out any sight word the encounter d. None; sight words cannot be decoded. Readers must learn to recognize these words as wholes on sight.
d. None; sight words cannot be decoded. Readers must learn to recognize these words as wholes on sight. Sight words have irregular spelling. Segmenting them into syllables or using a phonemic approach are ineffective strategies to aid a reader in recognizing a sight word, because these approaches depend on rules a sight word doesn't follow. Word families group words that share common patterns of consonants and vowels. The spelling of those words is therefore regular, because they follow a predictable patters. Sight words are irregular and do not follow a predictable pattern and must be instantaneously recognized for writing fluency. No decoding is useful.
Oral language development across the curriculum requires what? a. Teamwork b. Planning c. Cooperation d. All of the above
d. Oral language development requires teamwork, planning, and cooperation
Where does the prefix poly- mean in the word polygon? a. Few b. Several c. None d. Many
d. Poly means "many". Although the first thing many people might think of when it comes to this prefix is the word polyester, a man-made material that's often used in clothing because it's cheaper than natural materials, it does not mean "artificial."
Bi, re, and un are? a. Suffixes appearing at the beginning of base words to change their meaning b. Suffixes, appearing at the end of base words to enhance their meaning c. Prefixes, appearing at the beginning of base words to emphasize their meaning d. Prefixes, appearing at the beginning of base words to change their meaning
d. Prefixes, appearing at the beginning of base words to change their meaning. Suffixes appear at the end of words. Prefixes are attached to the beginning of words to change their meanings. un+happy, bi+monthly, and re+examine are prefixes that, by definition, change the meanings of the words to which they are attached.
President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was about? a. The future of America b. A dedication of lives lost on this battlefield c. An eloquent expression of democratic ideals d. All of the above
d. President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was about all three of these elements. Its primary purpose was a dedication of lives lost on this battlefield, but it was also about the future of America, and it is now famous as an eloquent expression of democratic ideals.
A teacher is working with a group of third graders at the same reading level. Her goal is to improve reading fluency. She asks each child in turn to read a page from a book about mammal young. She asks the children to read with expression. She also reminds them they don't need to stop between each word; not to read so quickly that they leave out or misread a word. The teacher knows the component of reading fluency are? a. Speed, drama, and comprehension b. Cohesion, rate, and prosody c. Understanding, rate, and prosody d. Rate, accuracy, and prosody
d. Rate, accuracy, and prosody. Fluent readers are able to read smoothly and comfortably at a steady pace (rate). The more quickly a child reads, the greater the chance of leaving out a word or substituting one word for another (for example, sink instead of shrink). Fluent readers are able to maintain accuracy without sacrificing rate. Fluent readers also stress important words in a text, group words into rhythmic phrases, and read with intonation (prosody)
The MLA guidelines for citing multiple authors of the same source in the in-text citations of a research paper are to use the first author's name and "et al" for the other(s) in the case of what? a. More than one author b. Two or three authors c. Three or more authors d. Four or more authors
d. The MLA guidelines for citing multiple authors of the same work in in-text citations (for both print and online sources) dictate using the first author's name plus "et al" for the other authors when there are four or more authors. If there are two (options A and B) or three (options B and C) authors, the guidelines say to name each author, either in a signal phrase (for example, "Smith and Jones note that...(45)" or "Smith, Jones, and Gray have noted....(45)"
The following sentence is which of the following sentence types? The questions in this test can give you an idea of what kinds of questions you might find on the actual test; however, they are not duplicates of the actual test questions, which cover the same subject material but may differ in form and content. a. Simple b. Complex c. Compound d. Compound-complex
d. This is an example of a compound-complex sentence. A compound-complex sentence as its name implies, combines both compound and complex sentences: it combines more than one independent clause with at least one dependent clause. In the example sentence given, the first two clauses, joined by "however," are independent, and the clause modifying "actual test questions," beginning with "which cover," is a relative, dependent clause.
Interpersonal communications can be unclear due to? a. Misinterpretation b. Assumptions c. Environmental context d. Relational context e. All of the above
e. Theoretically, no message arrives intact. Words ultimately don't mean the same thing to different people, so messages can easily be misinterpreted. A sender assumes recipients will interpret the meaning of each word in the same way, which can result in interpersonal communications being unclear. Gender, culture, and age contribute greatly to how speaker formulate and interpret messages. The message's physical environment can contribute to confusion due to distractions The relationship the sender and receiver share, as well as the relationships under discussion, all shade a message's meaning.
